Spiritual- journey is one of the greatest of all journeys one undertakes .

Like a journey in the vast ocean in a small boat searching for the unknown

Any journey we take in life wether it is physical to reach a location on earth , or it is a mental journey through our past days or on others past experiences and memories taking us in back times like a time machine or a spiritual. journey to the world of spirits in divinity and ultimately to the original spirit ie the Divine Involves nearly the same principles for undertaking a journey .

Questions which come to my mind regarding undertaking any journey for that matter a spiritual journey ..........are ........

What makes one decide to take this journey ?

You may have come to a point in your life when you feel like something is missing,What are you going to do? Many emotions move the human heart when it decides to dedicate itself to the spiritual path.

They may be a “noble” reasons like faith, love of our near and dear ones , or charity or it may be just a whim, the fear of loneliness, curiosity, or the fear of death. Sometimes it may be to be to get over the many turbulent times of life . At times It may even be to renew lost faith and trust in yourself or to recognize your inner voice of consciousness None of the reasons matter for the true spiritual path is stronger than the reasons that lead us to take this journey .Little by little it imposes upon us peace , love, discipline and dignity.

What is the purpose of a spiritual journey ?

spirituality can provide a reassuring belief in a greater force or being, a sense of purpose and meaning in life , a way to understand suffering, a way of connecting with yourself and with others and a reminder of the good in the world and gratitude in our heart The purpose of a spiritual journey is to enjoy life to the fullest possible that we can attain .To connect to whatever you consider meaningful and holy. You can find this in God, in yourself, in other people, in nature, in many forms of creative art or kindness. Whatever you focus on, spirituality offers many possible benefits, including better mood, less anxiety and depression-and even fewer aches and illnesses and a positive physical and mental health .

How should one travel to reach the destination ?

The means to get to the spiritual world is spiritual means. These are basically faith, hope and love that work in solitary prayer. Travel in these thoughts to connect with inner voice of consciousness your soul . The wider the connect between the soul and the mind ,body and world more power flows from the soul to the mind and body making us more worldly wise and more spiritually connected . Hence remove all the clutter on the path empty your mind ,an empty path helps us to reach our destination increasing the power flow from the soul . The best way to do this is by meditation and yoga . People who meditate have increased activity in a "feel-good" area of the brain.

What is the path one must follow to reach the destination ?

There is no need to search for a path outside to spirituality . No need to get away from your life – your spiritual life starts exactly where you are. In the present and in the real world. Your spiritual journey begins within you at your home. We don't have to go anywhere to find our souls. It's already there, It's there for us to tune in to, like adjusting the dial of a radio to tune to the station of your choice .Tune to connect to it on the proper wavelength .Your soul has so much already alive to teach you. You can practice spirituality every day and wherever you are .

Encountering problems is part of being human. Don't look at problems as problems but look at them as opportunities to give us life's messages and learn from them . How you deal with them helps your spiritual journey. Instead of fighting them, ask them What is embedded in you for me to learn? What are you here to teach me? What's your message?' The world is full, rich with messages if we approach problems as a friend.

Does one need help or a guide to take the right path to reach their destination ?

Though the basic aspects are the same each person takes different kind of path according to his or her preference. Some may seek guidance from a spiritual group or spiritual friend .When you surround yourself with friends who are sharing the same spiritual path, it will improve your experience. Some may seek a Master or Guru where as others may prefer to learn on their own by watching the world and from their experience in life and their practices . Being a part of the Speaking Tree ( Thanks to TOI ) is another great way to learn about spirituality .Reading books relevant to their religion like The Bhagvad Geeta ,The Bible ,The Koran and other such books are great motivators and teachers .The interpretation of the of the verses in most religious books need to be explained by Gurus in a simple language for the common man .

Is this journey bound by space and time ?

As a body you can be present only at one place in one time. As the soul is not bound by space and time, so a spiritual journey transcends space and time. In a spiritual journey you are going to all places and to all times and continue on this journey endlessly

A spiritual saint once said that if you want to reach your spiritual destination in a very short time you need to take these steps:

1. Desire to have pleasure in nothing;

2. Desire to possess nothing;

3. Desire to be nothing, and

4. Desire to know nothing

What is the ultimate destination of such a journey ?

The greatest of all journeys is the spiritual journey ,because in a spiritual journey you are going to a place which is no place at all but a presence in all the places in the universe ie OMNIPRESENCE and you are going to a time which is not a time but an ETERNITY which includes all time, from past to present to future. The soul transcends all space and time .The final destination in a spiritual journey is ultimately the Original Spirit himself that is GOD AND SELF REALIZATION of connecting with conscious awareness - SAT CHIT ANAND . A feeling of pure silence within filled with unconditional love peace and harmony .